Feeding mechanism



1940- H. E. DICKERMAN FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Oct. 19, 1958 1 INVENTOR.

I @ZQ.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,188,473 FEEDING MECHANISM Hubert E. Dicker-man, Springfield, Mass. Application October 19, 1938, Serial No. 235,905 7 10 Claima. (Cl. 271-25) This invention relates to improvements in feed mechanism and is directed more particularly 'to a feeding mechanism adapted among other uses for feeding successive portions of metal stock such as wire, ribbon, rods, bands and the like into a machine or apparatus which acts on the stock.

In connection with such a machine as a punch press or the like, which have relatively movable members carrying cooperating metal working devices, the said members move towards and away from one another for such operations on the stock as punching, cutting, forming, drawing, and'numerous other operations. Such machines use successive parts or portions of bars, rods,

tubes, strips, wires and the like to perform successive operations and produce successive objects or pieces of work.

The apparatus of this invention is adapted for use in connection with such machines and the cooperating metal working devices thereof to feed thereto successive portions of the metal to be worked on. The mechanism is adapted to intermittently feed or feed in a step by step manner such material as wire, metal strip, rods, bars, tubes in various forms, sections and sizes in timed relation with a machine or apparatus working or acting on successive portions or lengths of material.

According to one embodiment of the invention the mechanism thereof may be associated with a die set which, as is well known, includes a set of relatively movable cooperating die members adapted to be associated with the relatively movable members of various machines such as a punch press, so that the die members are moved towards and away from one another for performing various operations.

The feeding mechanism of this invention, by being associated with the die set, may be removed from the machine therewith so various die sets have feeding mechanisms more or less permanently associated therewith. This eliminates the necessity of adjusting the common form of feed mechanism to a particular die set when it is associated with the machine, thereby elirninating the loss of time, expense and other objections incident to =such a procedure. Otherwise, of course, the same feed mechanism of the invention may be applied to numerous and various different die sets if it should be so desired or 'to machines of various types.

According to special features of the invention, the feeding mechanism of this application is particularly adapted to be attached to or associated with a die set, so that it may be removed therewith when said set is removed from the machine. Although, as above stated, it may be associated with a machine, the various novel features are such that the mechanism is adapted for intermlttently feeding stock wherever it is desired to present successive portions of the stock to metal working devices which are adapted' to stamp, form, draw, out and perform various other operations and provide successive work, pieces, objects. or parts.

The feeding apparatus of the invention is characterized by a novel combination and arrangement of parts to the end that the construction iseflicient in operation, easily and readily adjustable within wide limits to suit various conditions of usage, and operates with a positive action for the purpose intended.

The various novel features and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter observed in connection with the description of, the-present preferred form thereof, reference being had'to the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a feeding mechanism embodying the novel features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the feed mechanism shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevational view on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a similar vie'w'on the line 4-4 of Fig.

Fig. 5 is a small scale perspective view of a cam member which may be used with the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 6 is a small scale diagrammatic view to explain certain features of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevational view illustrating how the shafts are held against rotation; and

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view through one of the shafts and rolls having means associated therewith to prevent'rotation of the shaft in one direction.

With reference now to the drawing more in detail the invention will be fully described. It will be understoodthat various changes and modifications may be made in the form of the mechanism without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

The following description refers to the feeding of a strip of material to a die set but within the broad scope of the invention the mechanism is adapted for use in connection with various machines or' tools and for feeding stock in various forms for various and numerous purposes.

Upper and lower die members of a die set are represented by '2 and I and these-"may carry various cooperating tools or devices which, as the said members 2 and 4 move: toward and away from one another, act or work on the stock and perform various operations. The mechanism of the invention in the form thereof to be described is adapted to feed successive portions of strip material thereto for successive operations.

A base or support 8 has spaced longitudinal guides 8 extending-from a part II which may be formed in any suitable manner for securing the mechanism to a machine or to one of the members of a die set, such as the member 8. The outer ends l2 of the guides, in the present form of the invention, extend inwardly towards one another more or dess and are connected by a transverse member ll.

The extremities 16 of the guide are turned outwardly away from one another to provide lugs, as shown. A carriage indicated generally by 20 is reciprocable back and forth on the guides 8 and carries a pair of cooperating rolls, as will be hereinafter described.

A transverse shaft 22 extends between the members l2 and is secured therein against rotation by any suitable means, such as by caps 24 having a set screw or screws 22, see Fig. '7. The upper sides of members l2 are provided with vertically disposed slots 26.

Blocks such as 28 are movable up and down in said slots and a cap 30 extendsbetween and is secured to the members l2. It has in threaded engagement therewith at opposite ends-adjusting screws 34 which are provided withmanually engageable members 38.

Springs 38 bear on the blocks 26 so that by rotating the screws in one direction or the other the compression of the springs may be varied to cause them to yieldingly bear on the blocks with more or less pressure as may be desired. A shaft 58 is secured at opposite ends; against rotation in the block in any suitable manner as by set screws 48', see Fig. 7. The shafts 22 and 48 have rolls 86 and 88 rotatable thereon, each in one direction all as will be hereinafter described.

A transverse carriage member 42 between guides 8 has upstanding side portions 44 disposed am'acent inner sides of guides 8. Plates 46 on the outer sides of the said guides 8 and secured to the parts 44, are so arranged as to cooperate therewith, and form carriage 20 slidable on the guides 8.

A lower shaft 48 similar to shaft 22 is fixed in the members 44 against rotation and the upper ends of the members 44 are provided with vertically disposed slots 58. In these slots are blocks, similar to the blocks 28 that are slidable up and down in slots 26 and a shaft 43 is carried by said blocks. A cap member 52 secured to parts 44 and similar to the cap 30 has screws 54, in threaded engagement therewith which carry manually engageable members 58. Springs 58 similar to the springs 38 yieldingly bear on the blocks in the slots 58. The shaft 48 is secured against rotation in parts ll similarly to the shaft 22 and shaft 43 is secured in the blocks similarly to shaft I, as shown in Fig. '7.

Ears 68 extend outwardly from the plates 48 and rods 62 have their ends fixed therein in some suitable manner. The lugs l8 at the outer end of the support slidably receive the outer ends of the rods 62 which are provided with screw threads 64 as shown. 7

Lock nuts 86, which may be of any suitable form, are in threaded engagement with the threaded ends 6| of the rods 82 and a tube 88' may rather loosely embrace the rods to protect the threaded portions thereof. Springs 68 around the rods 82 extend from the ears 8! to the lugs I 6 and are arranged and adapted to move the carriage 20 inwardly or to the left after it has been moved to the right, as well as to yleldingly resist movements of the carriage to the right.

A cam member Il may be secured in some suitable manner to the member 2 of the die set and it has end portions provided with actuating faca and dwell faces 16 and 18. The parts are so arranged that as the upper die set member moves downwardly towards die member 4, the cam faces 18 act on rolls 8' of the carriage to bring about movement of the carriage relative to the support, in 'a direction to the right towards the outer end of the support.

This movement of the carriage is against the action of the springs 68 and when the die member 2 moves upwardly and rolls 88 ride off from dwell faces 18 the carriage moves to the left from the position shown in Fig. 1.

A guide or guides such as 82 are provided in association with the support 8 at the left hand end thereof which as the die member 2 moves downwardly engage or operate against the surfaces or parts 84 of the cainmember 14. The guide or guides 82 serve to steady the parts which makes for rigidity and accuracy.

The carriage in Fig. 1 is shown in a position adjacent the outer end of the support which may be called the strip gripping position. A position at the left thereof may be called the feeding position. The nuts 68 may be adjusted so that the movement of the carriage 20 between feeding and gripping position may be varied to vary the length of the strip portion being fed to the die members.

As has been stated there is a pair of rolls 86 and 88 on the shafts 22 and and there is a pair of rolls 98 and 92 on the shafts 48 and 43. These rolls are mounted in some suitable manner on their respective shafts, as by pin bearings, for free rotation in one direction only while they are held against rotation in an opposite direction by some suitable means such as clutches, pawls, or the like.

A well known form of construction is shown in Fig. 8 wherein pawls N8 in the form of cylinders are disposed in longitudinally extending radially disposed slots in a shaft such as 22 as shown are arranged to look a roll such as 88 when it is attempted to rotate the roll clockwise. Flat springs I I0 may be employed to urge the pawls to engage the roll and shaft while the roll on rotation in a counterclockwise direction merely acts on the pawls to move them from engaging position.

In the form of the invention being described, the rolls 88 and 92 are freely rotatable in a clockwise direction and held against rotation in opposite directions. Rolls 88 and 90 are freely rotatable in a counterclockwise direction and held against rotation in opposite directions.

According to the constructions described, the strip of material first passes between the rolls 88 and 88 which rotate as above described. As the carriage moves to the right to gripping position, the rolls 86 and 88 are held against rotation in such a way that they hold the strip against movement to the right.

During the travel of the carriage to the right as aforesaid, the rolls SI and 82 rotate freely in the direction above described and roll along the strip. When the carriage reaches the limit of its stroke in gripping position and moves to the left to feeding position the rolls 90 and 82 are held against rotation as above described so as to grip or engage the strip and feed it to the left. During the feeding movement the rolls 86 and .8 permit feeding of the strip since they are free to rotate when the carriage is carrying the strip towards the die set.

In each stroke of the carriage between gripping and feeding positions and according to the arrangement and adjustmentv of the parts, the strip is advanced or fed a desired amount or length to present successive portions or sections thereof to the die set.

The screws 34 and 54 may be adjusted for the desired pressure. The rolls function with a rolling action to permit relative movements of the pairs oi rolls and strips so that by their yielding coaction strips which may be wavy and of uneven thickness may be fed in predetermined lengths.

Guide members 94 are pivoted at 96 to the transverse member l4 and carry rolls 98 on their ends which may be grooved or otherwise formed to receive and guide stock into rolls 86 and 88. Slots I00 in members 94 receive clamp bolts I02 in threaded engagement with member I 4 which hold the members in adjusted positions to accommodate stock or strips of various widths.

While I have described the invention in great detail and with respect to the'present preferred form thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereto since many changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. What it is desired to claim and secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination of cooperating members relatively reciprocable towards and away from one another with feed mechanism comprising, a support secured to one of said members having an outer end, a carriage slidable on said support in a straight line towards and away from said outer end, a pair of coacting rolls for receiving material therebetween mounted on the outer end of the support for free rotation in certain directions by a strip passing therebetween in one direction when the carriage moves away therefrom, means holding said rolls against rotation in opposite directions whereby they hold said strip against passage therethrough in opposite directions when said carriage moves towards said outer end, a pair of coacting rolls mounted on the carriage freely rotatable in certain directions to permit passage of the strip therethrough when said carriage moves towards said outer end, and means holding said rolls against rotation in opposite directions when said carriage moves away from said outer end whereby said strip is advanced thereby relative to the rolls on the outer end of said support.

2. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on the support in a straight line towards and away from said outer end between strip gripping and feeding position, pairs of relatively yieldingly mounted rotatable coacting rolls on said carriage and on said outer end of the support for receiving material therebetween, and means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer *end of the support while when said carriage moves in an opposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip 3. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on said support in a straight line, a pair I of rolls at the outer end of said support, a pair of rolls for the carriage, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, one of said rolls of each pair mounted for rotation on a fixed axis in the carriage and support respectively and the other of said rolls of each pair being yieldingly and rotatably mounted in said carriage and support relative'to the other rolls of the pairs, and means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in anopposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip.

4, A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable thereon in a straight line, pairs of rolls associated with said support and with said carriage, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, one roll of each of said pairs mounted on a fixed axis on said carriage and support respectively, bearing members slidable in the said carriage and support respectively, the other rolls of said pairs rotatable relative to said bearing members, spring means urging said bearing members towards the said one rolls of the pairs to urge the rolls of the pairs into yielding coaction, and means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in an opposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip.

5. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on the support in a straight line towards and away from said outer end between strip gripping and feeding position, pairs of relatively yieldingly mounted rotatable coacting rolls on said carriage and on said outer end of the support, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the supoprt is held against retrograde movement by saidrolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in an op posite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip, and means to limit movement of the carriage relative to the support in one direction.

6. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on the support in a straight line towards and away from said outer end between strip gripping and feeding position, pairs of relatively yieldingly mounted rotatable coacting rolls on said carriage and on said outer end of the support, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, means for permitting freerotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in an opposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip, and means to move the carriage relative to the support in one direction.

7. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on the support in a straight line towards and away from said outer end between strip gripping and feeding positions, pairs of relatively yieldingly mounted rotatable coacting rolls on said carriage and on said outer end of the support, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as .the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in an opposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip, means to move the carriage relative to the suport in one direction, and means to limit movement of said carriage in said one direction.

8. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a

support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on the support in a straight line towards and away from said outer end between strip gripping and feeding position, pairs of relatively yieldingly mounted rotatable coacting rolls on said carriage and on said outer end of the support, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in an opposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip, means to move said carriage relative to said support in one direction, and means for moving said carriage in an opposite direction including a member for securing to the movable member of a press which is engageable with said carriage.

9. A unitary mechanism for feeding successive portions having a predetermined length from a strip of material comprising in combination, a support having an outer end, a carriage slidable on the support in a. straight line towards and away from said outer end between strip gripping and feeding position, pairs of relatively yieldingly mounted rotatable coacting rolls on said carriage and onsaid outer .end of the support, said pairs of rolls adapted to receive material therebetween, means for permitting free rotation of said rolls in certain directions and for holding them against rotation in opposite directions, all adapted and arranged whereby a strip between the rolls on the outer end of the support is held against retrograde movement by said rolls and the rolls on said carriage are free to rotate on said strip as the carriage moves towards said outer end of the support while when said carriage moves in an opposite feeding direction the rolls thereof are held against rotation to grip said strip and advance the same relative to the rolls on the support which are rotatable by said strip, an actuating cam member for said carriage separate from said support adapted for movement relative thereto for engaging said carriage, and guide means on said support for engagingand guiding said cam member into and out of engagement with said carriage.

10. The combination with relatively reciprocable members movable towards and away from one another of feed mechanism comprising, a support adapted to be secured to one of said members, a carriage guided for straight line movements back and forth thereon, a cam on one of said members engageable with said carriage to move the same in one direction on the support as the members move relative to one another in one direction, pairs of relatively yieldable rolls on saidcarriage and on said support for receiving therebetween a strip of material, means for permitting free rotation of the rolls in certain directions and holding them against rotation in other directions, and means to move the carriage in an opposite direction as the carriage is disengaged by said cam.

' HUBERT E. DICKERMAN. 

